This invention generally relates to nozzles for containers of fluid, and more particularly to nozzles that permit transfers of the fluid under the influence of gravity into a receiving vessel without the risk of spills, overflow or vapor escape.
Nozzles of the general type described above are known in the art. These prior art nozzles generally have, as one objective, to minimize spills or splashes while they are dispensing fluid from a portable container into a receiving vessel (i.e. a fuel tank) while at the same time stopping the flow of fluid when the receiving vessel is full. Examples of such nozzles are provided in U.S. Pat. No. 2,723,070, U.S. Pat. No. 3,181,576, U.S. Pat. No. 3,799,222, U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,710, U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,151, U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,333, U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,611, U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,994, U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,378, U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,328, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
There are numerous instances where a receiving vessel or tank must be filled with a fluid. Typically, in such instances, it is necessary that spills and vapor release be minimized or totally eliminated by virtue of the environment where the dispensing is accomplished or by virtue of the fluid being dispensed, such as where fuel is being dispensed into the fuel tanks of lawn mowers, chain saws, tractors, motorized recreational vehicles, outboard motors, personal water craft and other fuel-powered machinery. In such instances, it is undesirable that any fuel should be spilled or vapor released, given the posed health and environmental hazards associated with such spills.
Spills occur in a variety of circumstances. For instance, containers of fluid must usually be tilted toward the receiving vessel with their opening pointing downward in order for fluid to be dispensed. Spills are not uncommon during such tilting. Additionally, spills tend to occur when the receiving vessel becomes full and overflows. This is especially true because, if an automatic stop mechanism is not provided on the nozzle, it is difficult to see when the receiving vessel has been actually filled. Moreover, the improper venting of the portable container can also contribute to spills. For instance, improper venting can result in an uneven flow of fluid including surges of flow, making impossible a reliable prediction of the fluid level in the receiving vessel, tending to cause splashes, and generally resulting in turbulence in the container that makes it difficult to hold the container steady.
Although the prior art has, up till now, attempted to address the above problems, it has, however, failed to offer a nozzle that effectively prevents spills and overflow of the receiving vessel while at the same time advantageously having a simple and effective configuration allowing a speedy dispensing of fluid from a container into the receiving vessel.
The invention provides a nozzle including a nozzle body having a proximal end and an insertion end and defining an inlet orifice at the proximal end thereof and an outlet orifice at the insertion end thereof. The nozzle body is adapted to be attached at the proximal end thereof to an opening of a container and to be inserted at the insertion end thereof into an opening of a receiving vessel for dispensing a first fluid from the container into the receiving vessel from the inlet orifice to the outlet orifice thereof. The nozzle further includes a vapor/air venting device connected to the nozzle body and defining a vent discharge opening for venting a second fluid (typically a gaseous fluid such as fuel vapor or air) from the receiving vessel into the container through the vent discharge opening. The second fluid is vented through the vent discharge opening of the venting device without traversing the first fluid in the container substantially during an entire time for dispensing of the first fluid from the container into the receiving vessel.
The nozzle further comprises a valve head disposed at the insertion end of the nozzle body for selectively opening and closing the outlet orifice of the nozzle body. The valve head includes a flexible seal adapted to be compressed to sealingly abut against walls of the opening of the receiving vessel when the nozzle body is inserted into the opening of the receiving vessel for substantially preventing at least the second fluid (i.e. vapor/air/volatile organic compounds or VOCs) from escaping at the opening of the receiving vessel.
The invention further provides a method for using the nozzle as described above, the method comprising the steps of dispensing a first fluid from a container into a receiving vessel; and venting a second fluid from the receiving vessel into the container such that the second fluid is vented into the receiving vessel without traversing the first fluid in the container substantially during an entire time for a dispensing of the first fluid from the container into the receiving vessel.
Additionally, the invention provides a kit for forming a nozzle. The kit includes a nozzle body having a proximal end and an insertion end and defining an inlet orifice at the proximal end thereof, an outlet orifice at the insertion end thereof, the nozzle body further being adapted to be attached at the proximal end thereof to an opening of a container and to be inserted at the insertion end thereof into an opening of a container for dispensing a first fluid from the container into the receiving vessel from the inlet orifice to the outlet orifice. The kit further includes a venting device adapted to be connected to the nozzle body and defining a vent discharge opening for venting a second fluid from the receiving vessel into the container through the vent discharge opening such that the second fluid is vented through the vent discharge opening of the venting device without traversing the first fluid in the container substantially during dispensing of the first fluid from the container into the receiving vessel.
Furthermore, the invention provides a combination comprising a container defining an opening, and a nozzle attached to the container at the opening thereof. The nozzle comprises a nozzle body having a proximal end and an insertion end and defining an inlet orifice at the proximal end thereof and an outlet orifice at the insertion end thereof, the nozzle body further being attached at the proximal end thereof to the opening of the container and to be inserted at the insertion end thereof into an opening of a receiving vessel for dispensing a first fluid from the container into the receiving vessel from the inlet orifice of the nozzle body to the outlet orifice of the nozzle body. The nozzle further comprises a venting device connected to the nozzle body and defining a vent discharge opening for venting a second fluid from the receiving vessel into the container through the vent discharge opening such that the second fluid is vented through the vent discharge opening of the venting device without traversing the first fluid in the container (i.e. without needing to bubble up through a substantial portion of the first fluid) substantially during an entire time for a dispensing of the first fluid from the container into the receiving vessel.
The invention additionally provides a nozzle comprising means for dispensing a first fluid from a container into a receiving vessel; and means for venting a second fluid from the receiving vessel into the container such that the second fluid is vented into the receiving vessel without traversing the first fluid in the container substantially during an entire time for a dispensing of the first fluid from the container into the receiving vessel.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.